Chapter Forty-Eight: Harlow

Harlow took one deep breath and then another. The man she was sitting across from was good looking, but he was also possibly one of the most intimidating people she’d ever met. She could feel his eyes on her as she told the story of what had happened to bring her to this moment, and as she waited for him to respond, she felt as if she were waiting for a jury to decide whether or not she was going to spend the rest of her life as a free woman or behind bars.

Harlow thought that Hudson Rose looked as if he frowned frequently, but the downward turn of his lips deepend as she had explained how she had come to be in a room inside of his hotel. He’d asked Brielle to wait outside his office while he spoke with her about what she’d been through and why she thought his newest employee might be in danger.

“So you don’t really know if they’re planning to do anything to Briar? It’s just something that you and Brielle have come up with because you don’t know why they would have brought you here otherwise?”

“I know that they’re planning on killing our Alpha and he’s the one who’s mated to Briar. But he’s stronger than anyone else in the pack. I think that they want to do something to Briar because it would weaken Theon.”

“But you don’t know for sure, do you? You never heard them say what you’re claiming. It’s something you and Brielle came up with as a possible explanation for why they had come down here, right?”

Harlow nodded reluctantly. She wanted to lie and tell this man that she’d heard them plot the whole thing out, but she had the distinct feeling that if she tried to lie to him he would know.

“Thank you for sharing your theory. Briar will be safe here working with me, regardless of whether or not your ex and father are plotting something. If you think that they’re too weak to take on the Alpha of some small pack in the middle of nowhere Alaska, then my security in this hotel and later at your friend’s new place of employment, will have no problem dealing with them.”

Harlow opened her mouth to say something, although she wasn’t sure just what, but Mr. Rose quickly continued. “Moving on, I know you were coerced into coming here, and obviously Brielle has already told you that we don’t take women who have been forced into this sort of thing. We don’t need to and honestly we have more than enough women vying to get a place here as it is. But you seem like an intelligent young woman and you’re undeniably beautiful. Brielle has already told me that you work now as a stripper to support your young daughter. Is that true?”

Biting her bottom lip, Harlow nodded. She wasn’t ashamed of anything that she’d had to do to provide for her daughter, but she also didn’t like to flaunt what she did for a living. “Yes Sir. It is true.”

“How much do you make a night?” Harlow shifted in her seat then stilled as if pinned in place by this man’s intense gaze.

“On average? Two to three hundred dollars. Some nights way less. Some nights more.” She forced herself to meet the dragon shifter’s steady gaze with more confidence than she felt.

“Most of the girls who work here make at least twice that much and oftentimes much more. If you came to work for me you won’t have to worry about anyone hurting you. At least not unless you want them to. And while it wouldn’t work for your daughter to live here, at our establishment, if you consider working here I can make suitable arrangements for her care, where you’ll be able to visit her regularly. I’m already in the midst of moving one family for another girl, and I’m quite certain I could find a safe, happy home for your daughter to stay in that wouldn’t involve your mother and that would keep her safe from her father.”

“I usually don’t guarantee anything. But I can promise you that you would easily make six figures a year working here. The standard contract I offer is for a year. And you would already have a friend here from back home. My guess is if you two worked together you could make even more than you would separately. You could pass for twins.”

Harlow’s fingers dug into the arms of the chair she was sitting in. She knew that Mr. Rose was powerful. And maybe he could keep her safe from Hux and Poe. But was she willing to give up everything she had back home, including the possible relationship with Theon, and the ability to see her daughter on a daily basis, to work for this man? The work itself wasn’t even the main problem. It only went a little past what she already did. She knew deep down that she would do anything, even working here in the brothel, if it meant keeping Kayla safe and giving her a better life.

“Think about it. I’ll have Bree take you up to a room of your own. The floor you’re on will have guards, so the two men who brought you here won’t be able to touch you as long as you’re here. But I can’t make any moves to keep your daughter safe unless you join the Rose Industries family. Let me know what you decide.”

Harlow nodded and thanked Hudson Rose for his time before standing slowly and turning towards the door.

She walked out of his office, turning to close the door carefully behind her, while she tried to gather her scattered thoughts. Kayla wasn’t safe where she was at the moment and Harlow had a feeling that once Poe and Hux realized that she’d escaped from their clutches they wouldn’t hesitate to try to use the little girl to reel her back in. If she was going to decide to stay and take Mr. Rose up on his job offer she needed to do it fast.

Closing her eyes she allowed herself to conjure up Theon’s face in her mind. It was good while it lasted, but had she really expected anything more from the pack Alpha? They’d only known each other for a few days before he’d had to leave. He couldn’t influence her decision to do what was best for her daughter.

Opening her eyes Harlow nearly fell over when she saw who had just walked in the door. A large man who she assumed was security for Mr. Rose had walked in first, followed by a beautiful blonde woman. A few steps behind the woman, Alpha Theon walked through the door, looking almost exactly as he had when she’d seen him a couple days earlier.

Brielle, who was sitting on a couch in the private waiting area, turned to look in her direction as Harlow stood, frozen in place, staring at the man who she had just been thinking about.

“Harlow,” her name escaped from between Theon’s lips in a whisper, his expression turning to one of obvious concern the moment he saw her standing in front of him. “What the fuck are you doing here? And why are you bruised up like someone beat the shit out of you?” His eyes flashed and he almost seemed to grow larger right in front of her eyes, before regaining control of himself and taking several deep breaths.

“Alpha? Mr. Rose is ready to see you about your mate.” Harlow quickly dropped her eyes and moved out of the way, although it was obvious that Theon wanted to have a conversation with her about why she was there and what had happened to her. The reminder, that he was there to save Briar and not her, caused Harlow to step to the side, giving him space to move forward into Mr. Rose’s office, while the man who had escorted Theon and the blonde up into the waiting area, watched the exchange with an evaluating gaze.

“Don’t go anywhere, Harlow. We need to talk.” He said the words in a low voice as he passed by her, but Harlow didn’t reply, not quite sure what she should say.

“Were they alone?” Brielle asked suddenly, her eyes fixed on the large man standing in the door. When he shook his head and then told her that there were two men with them who were now waiting at the bar, Brielle sighed and ran a hand roughly through her long hair. “Please escort Harlow up to a room on the prep floor. Make sure she has whatever she needs.” Brielle’s gaze swung towards Harlow and she let out a long sigh. “Please go with Caelan. I’ll be up as soon as I can. You aren’t a prisoner, obviously, but it’s safer if you stay put in your room. That way those two assholes who brought you in here won’t be able to touch you. Okay?”

Harlow nodded as Brielle stood quickly and disappeared out the door, leaving Harlow to make up her mind on her own as she followed after the tall man who had brought Theon into the room. As she walked away from Mr. Rose’s office, Harlow couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever see the Alpha that she’d begun to have feelings for, again.